It has become increasingly evident that liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon sources such as petroleum and natural gas are being depleted at such rapid rate that an intensive effort is needed to meet anticipated future needs for obtaining substitute energy, feedstock, or chemical starting materials. One of the most readily available sources of hydrocarbon materials is coal. Heretofore, there has been no ready means, without extensive capital investment on economically justifiable basis, to produce hydrocarbons from coal. Although various processes are known for conversion of coal at high temperatures, such as high temperature i.e. above 600.degree. C., high pressure e.g. above 25 atmospheres coal gasification, there has been no readily available lower-temperature, low-pressure process which would readily convert coal into its component hydrocarbons.